Woman in hospital after drinking coffee containing cleaning fluid at her local Waitrose

The woman as advised to go to a specialist burns unit at The Royal Sussex County Hospital (Picture: PA)

A woman ended up in a burns unit after she drank a free coffee at Waitrose. But not because it was too hot – the drink contained cleaning fluids.

The customer experienced ‘a reaction in her mouth’ shortly after drinking the coffee at the supermarket’s Lewes branch, in East Sussex.

A first-aider at Waitrose called an ambulance and paramedics advised the woman to visit a specialist burns unit at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, it is reported.

The woman, who is thought to have made a full recovery, received the complimentary coffee as part of a customer membership card scheme.

According to the Daily Mail, the woman’s husband claimed Waitrose offered his wife £25 in ‘compensation’.

Waitrose apologised for the ‘unfortunate incident’ and said the cleaning fluid in the drink was ‘very diluted’.

A spokeswoman added: ‘We have confirmed that the cleaning fluid does not have any long term impact on health, given the small quantities consumed, but we are very sorry for what would have been an unpleasant experience.’

A South East Coast Ambulance spokeswoman said: ‘We were called to a woman who suffered a reaction in her mouth after drinking coffee which was thought to contain a cleaning solution.

‘An ambulance was sent and the patient was assessed and treated on scene before being advised to attend Queen Victoria Hospital for further advice and treatment.’